Red suns
by Rashk-e-Qamar
Summary: Kind of dystopian...24 years old Ace is living with a clan in foresty hills ever since the mutants took over the world and killed her family except for her nephew. Now one of their leaders is at the clan's mercy and Ace is determined to take revenge. Only problen is Ace is too human to achieve that. Erik x OC
1. Chapter 1

Times have changed. We live in a world twisted and marred by a superior race. They are powerful, ruthless, hateful towards us mere humans. It 's like we are back to the times of slavery , blood and torture.

The world went through the worst war in the history a few years back and lost most of its human population. There were areas where they wiped the land clean with their powers,cities after cities were razed to the ground. Children were held in facilities to experiment on, women for the sole purpose of pleasure and torture to satisfy their perverted hunger, men to work in their mines and fields while they sit on their superior asses and watch on with a cruel smirk . Those who were fortunate enough to escape the fire, ice , water or death, fled into the mountains and forests. There they lived in constant fear of being exposed, in clans of no more than 50. We were back to the stone age hunting and taking cover beneath the trees or caves. We'd lost so much and so many that we were wondering if escaping and living like this was any better than torture and death at their hands. But that's just one side of the world... dark, cold, dead and hopeless.

It was 3 years ago when they went rebellious. The governments all around issued an open statement to kill them at sight. I guess that triggered it. And they poured out from every corner of the world with their raging powers, and stood up against the government. War was a blood shed on both parts but we were too weak compared to their abilities .

It was raining when they attacked my town. I was at a public library finishing up prepping for a quiz. There was no fore warning just some loud bangs and screams that shattered the peace and pierced the souls. I ran out in my bewilderment and there was a sea of bloodshed and bodies... burned, iced, staked, turned into stone or ripped apart. The only thought that crossed my mind then was my family... I ran like a rabid dog through the chaos, bumping the people who were running to take cover and shoving each others away. We seemed like mere rag dolls in front of their armed and polished uniforms. I wondered if they custom made their uniform blood proof because there was not a speck of blood on them even when they were ruthlessly killing and torturing through the town. I slipped multiple times on the slick roads and muddy streets, rain pouring down and diluting the blood but not fully washing away its trace . Somehow I escaped through that chaos unharmed and reached my front door soaked to the bone.

It was partially open and swinging in dead silence. And that's when I felt true terror coursing through my veins. I stepped through the door with my heart hammering . And there right infront of the kitchen counter was my mom lying face down in her own pool of blood. I couldn't move, as if I were in a dream, I couldn't scream , I couldn't even feel the pain . I stepped aside her and moved further in . My dad was nowhere to be found but my sister... she was pinned to the wall with several forks, spoons, knives sticking out of her body and blood dripping down the floral wall.

I just stood there staring at her lifeless cold eyes. That's when a whimper caught my attention and like a switch being turned on , all my emotions slammed into me with a physical force and I sprinted into Chikki's room only to find it empty. I moved further in and immediately dropped down to see under the bed, was relieved to find him there, crouching and covering his eyes like if he can't see the big bad cruel world then it can't see him either. He saw me then and leapt out of his hiding straight into my lap crying and shaking. I held him tight shushing and comforting and I knew we had to leave this place before they came back on a second round to finish the job more thoroughly . Guess I won't be leaving this chaos totally unharmed after all, I thought with a bitter laugh.

Looking into my nephew's terror filled eyes I knew then and there that I will do anything to protect him. Even if I had to give up my own soul for that. And I knew I would never hate anyone more than THEM . Those who took their self defense 10 steps ahead and decided it was justified to go on a mass murder . I was filled with rage , hatred, and pure blood lust for those who killed my family. For those who called themselves "Mutants".


	2. Chapter 2

Erik  
The first thing my brain processed was pain...sharp and throbbing. I felt like my body was being ground to pieces from all sides...my airways constricting, my breath wheezing out of me. I groaned and opened my eyes against the blinding light, immediately regretting when it seemed to directly pierce my brain through the pupils. My stomach twisted and I barely managed to turn to my side to splatter the contents onto the already moist moss covered soil. I sat up dizzily against a tree trunk,heaving and still partially blinded by the light.

It must have been close to noon now, last I remember being conscious was at the bar. I must have been hell alot of drunk to not remember being someone's shooting target. I tried to sit up but groaned when my hand automatically went to my side. It was sticky and I knew without looking that I was bleeding and from the size of headache I was sporting, it wasn't hard to figure out that I had lost alot more than my body could handle. So that's how it was to end? alone, bleeding, betrayed by my own people, in a god damned ...forest? or was it a hillside? The trees were thick , tall but not too dense to be a forest.

I was about to pass out again from the sheer strain it put on my brain to think about where I was, when I heard rustling and distant hushed voices. At first I thought it was Amanda 's goons coming back to double check if I were truly dead. That would be the smarter thing to do because if I somehow lived through this, she would be pleading my name in agony as opposed to what she was used to. But the voices were too hushed and hesitant, as if they didn't want to disturb the air even with their controlled breaths. No they were not mutants, mutants were never this hesitant and unsure.

6 men dressed in rags and gray long coats that were too dirty to tell them apart from their surroundings, stepped through the trees. I knew they were humans from their pathetic horrified expressions alone. All of them had long bamboo sticks in one hand. They stopped a few feet away from me as if they'd be dead if they came any closer which was probably true. Well... true if I had any strength left to slit their throats with their own coat buttons. Did they sense that I was not one of them? or did I look pathetic enough to pass as a human?

One of them, a tall bald black man stepped forward and after making sure I had indeed no strength left to retaliate, signaled two others forward. I was injured but I had no intention of going anywhere with them, dying or not. Two of them hooked their arms in mine and forced me up. I hissed at the sudden onslaught of pain and began to see spots. No I had no intention of going with them but I was also too weak to even make a show of resistance. The bald man sneered at me, guess my bloody but still too fine to be any human's clothes, gave me away and the last thing I saw was the man's bamboo stick approaching me before the darkness engulfed me a second time.


	3. Chapter 3

Ace

Today was going to be a busy day. Men were bringing in the grains and fresh vegetables and women were supposed to sort them. It didn't help that it was probably 35 degrees outside. There was a few meters of clearing in the deeper parts of the forest where we started farming a year ago. The clearing was well hidden behind a overhanging cliff but we were still careful to cover our tracks from the fields to our caves because if the mutants were to ever come across the clearing, they wouldn't have to look very hard or far to find us. Yes it was a risky game but we had to survive and we couldn't do it solely on fish and squirrels in the lake and hills.

It was still early I could tell, even though the sunlight couldn't reach very far into the caves. I turned towards chikki's sleeping form and pushed his hair away from his sweaty face. My nephew...my only family left. It's been 3 years since I was forced to run away from my home, leaving my dead family behind. I couldn't even give them a proper burial but then again mine wasn't the only family left dead and decaying in abandoned houses. I still remember the terror in Chikki's eyes when I found him under the bed. I never wanted to see that terror on his face ever again... I would do anything to keep him safe and happy and oblivious. That is the only promise I made to myself that day, that keeps me alive and functioning.

I yawned and stepped out of my alcove . There were still a few people asleep but I needed to freshen up to make it through the rest of the day. Since coffee had long been out of question,the only thing left was a nice cold swim. Yes, the only thing that I loved here was swimming in the nearby lake, it was peaceful and seemed to wash away all my worries even if it was for a few minutes.

I made my way through the uneven path leading into the woods,all the way wondering if the food we were farming was worth all the risk. I guess it's human nature to keep striving for better life even if the threat of doom looms over head, even after we are pushed down to the caveman style from the high heavens of technology. I reached the lake, stripped and washed my tee and worn out cargo pants before laying them on the stone to dry. I looked at the reflection the crystal water provided, hazel eyes stared back at me, hair dark with natural highlights, too thick to look pretty, face small and pale, prominent cheekbones, and body, thin and wasted from the years of limited food and stress. I sighed and dived back into the cool water to wash away my worry, sweat and grime.

It was close to noon when I was returning back. Jacob, the head of farming team, would be back by now. I was still a few feet away when I could hear the disturbance in the caves, everyone seemed restless and a heavy dread settled in my stomach. Chikki...I had to get to him, if there was going to be an attack I had to get to him and make a run to South. Yeah, I was always prepared for a swift emergency exit but it went as far as the direction of the route I would take. Anything beyond that was uncertain.

I was near the edge of the cave when Chikki ran out and hugged my knees.  
"Ace! there is a new guest in the caves. He is sleeping though. Aunt Carol tells me to stay away but I want to meet him". He jumped a little with excitement and pouted at the end with puppy eyes fixed on mine.

There was someone new? May be Jacob came across another clan, a community just like ours? I couldn't help the little spark of hope that ignited inside me but a part of me knew we weren't that lucky.  
" Chikki why don't you go see Aunt Carol and tell her to fix us something to eat huh? " I tried to divert his attention but I knew he'd be coming back to this later. I watched him nod and round the corner to the kitchenette along the side of the caves and stepped inside to investigate this new development.

Everyone was in a hurry inside the caves, too hesitant to make eye contact with each other. And there, just as I turned the corner to the makeshift clinical ward, I saw him. He was unconscious and bleeding everywhere. I didn't have to look for his powers to know that he was a mutant, the power and superiority was oozing from him even in this battered and pathetic half dead condition, his clothes were a dead give away besides his obvious well built. Not any one of us could ever afford the expensive looking white shirt which was now mostly stained dark with blood. Alfred, a middle aged decent guy who was a paramedic before the attack, was busy cleaning him up.

A rage built up in me in waves and like a physical entity tried to force its way out of me. I pivoted and marched straight to Jacob.  
"What the hell were you thinking? Why did you bring him here Jacob? We have PEOPLE living here". I snarled. Jacob regarded me with his usual cool expression.  
" I couldn't leave him there, he was bleeding to death."  
"Well, you should've done something to hasten it then, like strangling him or impaling him on one of your bamboos perhaps." My face was burning up with the anger. I couldn't believe that they were tending to one of the mutants in our hide out. What if his friends came looking for him?  
" Easy kid! He is as good as dead anyway. And by the looks of him he was left there to die, I don't think anyone will come looking for him anytime soon." Jacob said calmly.  
"He is one of them! He is a monster". I seethed, emphasizing every word. Didn't he get how stupid it was.  
"Yes he is. And WE are not". He told me calmly,turned his back and walked away leaving me confused and mad.

I looked around and found I wasn't the only one disagreeing with his decision. People were talking among themselves in hushed voices, half of them angry and the other half terrified and almost all of them curious as to why a mutant was left shot and bleeding so far away from their civilization.

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R&R please. :)


	4. Chapter 4

Ace  
A week...it's been a week since they brought him in. I tried to argue countless times with Jacob but he seemed fixated on his decision. The mutant was recovering under Alfred's care contrary to what we all hoped and believed. There were hushed talks of him regaining strength and lesser episodes of passing out for the last 3 days. I stayed as far away from the medical bay as possible. Once or twice, while I was passing by ,I heard him groan and curse which brought a satisfied smirk on my face. "Good...let him suffer, he deserves to rot in hell". Yeah I had to move away before I let my instincts take over and strangle him, just like I've dreamed oh so many times.

I bolted outside. I needed to make new arrows, better ones as my last failed hunting escapade proved what I was sorely lacking. The Sun was high up and blazzing hot while I moved through the trees towards the farming fields. The air was thick and stuffy so much so that I felt suffocated but I was glad my worn out tank and pants were light as feathers. I came through the trees to the open clearing where Jacob and the other men were working in the fields.

I made my way to Jacob shielding my eyes from harsh sunlight .

" Hey kid! came to bite my head off again or is it my lucky day and you're just here to lend a helping hand?" He smiled warmly, his eyes crinkling at the corners and face flushed in the heat.  
" I wanted to see if you have any bamboos or any other wood I can use to make arrows." I asked hopefully.  
"Ah! who's the unfortunate victim getting skewered this time?" He eyed the caves amused.  
"Ha Ha don't tempt me". I rolled my eyes.

Right then 3 armed men came barreling through the far side of the clearing, startling us. I vaguely remembered them guarding the mutant in the caves.  
" We are going to run the parameter one more time." One of them told Jacob. They shared a look, nodded at Jacob and turned around.  
"What's going on?" I tried to lighten my voice but I knew the old man can practically hear my curosity.  
" There seemed to be a...disturbance near the North borders." He hesitated. "There is some bamboo and shaping knives in the back hut. Go back and try to keep this situation to yourself. I don't want undue panic among people." With that he turned around dismissing me.

I watched him go for a while, thinking if we could ever repay him for being so considerate of us, he was a leader of sort but felt more like a father figure to us. I sighed and went to grab my stuff . Inside the bamboo hut were various kinds of tools and cloth bags, most of them for farming stuff probably. In the corner I found some fine bamboo sticks perfect for arrow lengths and I wondered if Jacob saved some good ones for me. I smiled at the thought.

I turned to go back when I spotted a long knife on the top shelf. Me heart started hammering and my breathing became quick. I picked it up swiftly and placed it inside my boot, half of it resting cold and sharp against my inner calf. I half ran away from the fields. I couldn't believe what I was considering to actually go through. I thought about what Jacob would say, would he be disappointed or relieved or proud? I wondered what _he_ would be doing. I knew there were no one guarding him, now that the danger was elsewhere. May be this was a rescue mission, may be his "not so merry" band of buddies was flashing us a distraction to give him an escape route. Besides guards, there weren't anyone who bothered to check on him except Jacob.

I quickened my pace and was near the caves when Chikki called out to me. He crashed to me in a big hug and for a moment I forgot what I was going to do.  
"Ace all the kids are going with Craw , he is going to teach us how to catch fish." HE gave me a toothy grin between the chubby cheeks. " can I go , please please, oh please?"

Yeah may be it was a good idea for him to not be around when I 'd be...doing the deed.  
"Sure hun! Just behave and don't give Craw a hard time" I gave him a stern look which turned into a full blown smile.

I watched him running down to the lake with other kids laughing and skipping. I shook my head to clear my senses and went back to ...the deed.

The caves were more silent and calm than usual which made me uneasy. The few people who were there didn't notice me. I stepped cautiously to further mute my steps and be invisible. Why did I feel like a criminal in my own hide out? I was going to do everyone a favour by ...

I stepped into the medical bay area which was darker than the rest of the caves, as it was the only area in the caves with rounded walls to mimic a room and to provide enough privacy. I slid my knife out of my boot and held it firmly in my now sweaty trembling hands. I licked my lips and stepped further in towards the sheets on a makeshift bed.  
My heart was beating so loudly that I could feel it beating in my ears and feared that it would surely alert him of my approach.

"THAT will never work." I gasped and spun around to see him standing near the medical supplies, eyes narrowed and fixed on me. Standing...standing?  
"You're up." It was a statement coloured with surprise. He raised an eyebrow at me in a silent bored gesture.  
"You were supposed to be in bed half unconscious." I whispered.  
"Your people are doing a crappy job keeping their patient comfortable. I had to get up for water in my bandaged state." He poured himself a glass of water, smirked at my still open mouth and tipped his glass to make his point.  
Instantly rage replaced shock and I raised my knife above my head in a steady confident grasp. I almost growled. "My PEOPLE took pity on you and saved your sorry bleeding ass, Your highness." He was silent for a whole minute staring at me with eyes narrowed.

"You came to kill me. I have to admit, I did wonder why nobody had shown up till now. And a little girl was far from what I was expecting." Blue eyes regarded me carefully as if to unravel all the mysteries at one glance.  
" I'm NOT a little girl." I seethed. I could almost feel my face burning up and smoke coming out of my ears. This arrogant asshole mutant was belittling me in my own territory. All the second thoughts about KILLING this mutant went out and I charged him with the strength I didn't know I possessed, with the knife raised and ready.

I pinned him to the stone wall , with my fist on his heart and looked up to savour his expression of agony. But there it was, his full smirk, set and taunting. He must have read my confusion because he turned his head and I followed his gaze to find my knife embedded in the makeshift bed.

"Did you think I was this easy to kill, girl?" He sneered, his voice hard chilling me to the bones and I suddenly realized that I was in the presence of a mutant, a mutant who could still wield his powers even in a weakened state, a mutant who I just tried to kill. Did he wrench the knife out of my hand and threw it on the bed? No. He didn't touch me I was sure. So he had a power to kill without batting an eyelash. And with fists still on his chest, looking into his cold hard face, I suddenly wished I hadn't come across that goddamn knife.

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R &R please :)


	5. Chapter 5

I stood frozen on my spot staring up into his face with eyes wide. He was at least a foot taller, obviously well built and with an air of menace and icy coldness around him. He arched an eyebrow in challange, daring me to make a move. What was I thinking marching in here intending to kill a mutant? Stupid stupid..fucking stupid Ace!

"Chiding yourself isn't gonna change your situation, gorgeous." I snapped out of my self berating to see him smirking down at me. The bastard was enjoying my predicament way too much for my liking.  
"What's your name?"  
"Shouldn't I be the one to do all the questioning since you're held prisoner by my people?" I managed to say.  
"Am I? and here I thought I was being nursed back to health by ever loving and putty hearted humans."  
"Come on! I deserve to know the name of the girl who came to gut me with a knife." He grinned mocking me.

I kept a straight face and refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing me being affected by his mocking.

He chuckled. "You might wanna use a bit of that little thing in your roomy head the next time you plan to kill someone." Instantly fear got replaced by clouds of anger in my mind but a rational part of me, who wanted to keep breathing, kept my tongue behind my teeth. I clenched and took a deep breath to step back from him but his hand came up, took my wrist in a vice like grip yanking me hard forward. I gasped colliding with his body.  
" What? backing away so soon? Aren't you gonna at least try to strangle me just as you'd suggested so many times to good ol' Jacob?" He spat, his face inches from me. Okayyy... I didn't know that he knew THAT. Swallowing the ever growing lump in my throat, I lowered my head, took a deep breath and looked up straight at him , my voice hoarse: " You deserve a death far more harrowing than plain strangling."

Yeah, he's right..I probably do have a mostly empty head. Antagonizing your enemy ,defenceless and weaponless is a stupid way to die. His face was grim, probably coming to a conclusion that he would rather enjoy my death than being here throwing me insults.  
Before I could lose my last remaining thread of nerves, I twisted around, my wrist which was still in his hand angling painfully, and elbowed him in the flanks. His grip loosened, grunting, he lifted his other hand to grip his abdomen in pain. I took the chance and tried to make a run for the exit of the med bay. But he pulled me back crashing us both into the cave wall behind him.

For a moment it was only his ragged breathing and my surprised gasps that could be heard in the quiet but the next moment urgent voices rang loud in the halls outside, drawing near. My captor instantly released me with a little push and straightened up himself, smoothing down his ruffled gray shirt, still breathing hard. The next moment two guys came in carrying a bloody body, tailed by Doc, Jacob and many concerned spectators. The body was hoisted up and carefully laid on another makeshift bed beside the one occupied by the mutant.

Doc immediately went to his new patient's side and set to work while Jacob was trying to shoo everyone out and clearing the already too small med bay of people, assuring them that he would explain everything to them in a while. After making sure everyone was out, he turned around and his gaze zeroed in on my disheveled appearance, then moved over my shoulder fixing on something, or rather someone behind me. I looked over my shoulder to find the mutant laying on his back with his eyes closed. I guess my little stunt had worn him out. The knife was nowhere to be seen.

"Ace! Out! " My head snapped forward and before I could utter a few protesting words, Jacob moved on to talk to Doc who was busy cleaning up the bloody mess on the bed. I was still a few feet away from them but I could make out the guy's face. He had strong features half obscured by blood dripping from one side of the head, two bleeding gun shot wounds, one on the right shoulder and the other on the arm. Not life threatening, I wondered. But the blood was pouring out of him and soaking the sheets underneath. He was one of the guards that were scouting the parameters a while ago. Jacob told me there was a "disturbance" out there. Did they come across a threat? Were there other mutants close to our camp? Did this guard manage to eliminate the "disturbance" before getting shot because if not, then we were all in serious danger. I broke out in a cold sweat, my breathing quickening once again.

"I told you to get out. What are you still doing here?"  
"What happened to him?" I nodded towards the limp form.  
"Alfred! Do you think you can bring him back to the world of living anytime soon?" Ignoring me, Jacob asked with barely concealed hope.  
"I don't know. A head injury is unpredictable, I don't know how severe it is, specially with no x-ray or CT scan facilities in this bloody cave." Doc answered frustrated.  
"I'll just take out the bullets for now and clean him up. That's all I can do. If we are lucky, he'll come around soon and tell us what the bloody hell happened out there." He plunged back into his work clearly dismissing us.

"Jacob! what's going on?" My voice was pleading. Jacob sighed pinching the bridge of his nose, then ran his palms down his wrinkled face in a tired gesture.  
"We don't know yet. We heard gun shots while working in the fields. When we reached him, he was laying face down in the dirt bleeding. We were bringing him back when we bumped into Hugh, the other guard. He said he didn't see anyone out there, just heard the gun go off like us and came running."  
"You think it's them? May be they came to rescue him...the mutant you saved." I mused.  
"No! If they wanted him out of there, they would have done it a long time ago and in a much more...mutant way. Brian is shot and as far as I know mutants don't rely on guns. No, it looks like a human scuffle."  
I nodded absently while watching Brian's supine, still form.  
"Look kid! I gotta go find Hugh, ask him some more questions and quell everyone's fears. Will you stay here and help him out? " He nodded towards frantically working Doc. I nodded.  
He started towards the halls then abruptly turned around to fix me with his stern gaze. "Oh and Ace! When this is all over I want to know what you were doing here all alone with _him_ and why you'd looked like you two had rolled around on the floor with your hands at each other's throat." He looked over my shoulder narrowing his eyes.  
I gasped, opened my mouth to reply, then closed it, heat coloring my face and ears. His words bringing up an entirely different kind of image in my head which was so unexpected and so NOT welcome. But before I could muster up a response, he strode outside leaving me behind gaping like a fish.  
And to make matters worse, I heard faint chuckling from behind.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That night we were all restless, nobody relaxed enough to get a decent sleep. After leaving the med bay, Jacob managed to calm people down assuring them that he would set up traps all around the caves first thing in the morning. Meanwhile, we decided to have 4 shifts of night watches, each having about 5 people. I stayed with Doc all evening helping him around. The guard, Brian was it? was still unconscious, but Doc managed to remove his bullets and patched him up.  
Erik, a.k.a the smug bastard, was pretty much healed up but he was still weak from all the blood loss. I came to know about his name when Doc , while working on his new patient, suddenly asked me to change "Erik's" bandages.

At first I just looked at Doc confused then as realization dawned on me, I started backing away with palms raised and shaking my head vigorously. That was probably a pathetic move on my part but I COULD NOT be anywhere near him when he was fully awake, smirking and I had JUST escaped his death grip a few hours ago. So, I offered to set up an IV drip for Brian instead while Doc switched back to his first patient.

"Pity!" Eric muttered, shrugging casually and holding my gaze.

Eric...What were we supposed to do with him after his full recovery? We never really thought of what to do if he were to survive his injuries...and now that he is regaining strength, I don't know what Jacob has in mind for him. Its not like he will feel honoured to join us humans just because we saved his life. Or that we would let him go back to his people, only to have him lead his people back to our hide out and wipe us clean.

I looked down at Chikki's peacefully sleeping form and wondered when I will be able to get a good sleep, free of nightmares and worries. Chikki had been in a fight today, Aunt Carol told me at dinner while handing Chikki over to me. She was nice enough to baby sit all the kids here, probably because she never had kids of her own and not to mention, she had a remarkable patience. But she looked worried and slightly reluctant when she told me that Chikki's been acting a little aggressive and irritable these days. He doesn't even hesitate to start a fist fight with older kids. I needed to spend more time with him, she'd offered me.  
Resting my head against his soft body and clutching him in a tight hug like a lifeline, I tried to fall into a few hours of oblivion.


	6. Chapter 6

Rain...ever since the attack, this beautiful phenomenon was twisted into a horrific nightmare for me. Even the light breezy drizzling felt like a warning of an oncoming threat.

The rain,I realized, was so heavy that I couldn't even see through the down pour. The blowing icy air was biting into my bones and I was suddenly struck with awareness, that I was standing in the middle of a broken slick road, wearing only a thin blue shrug over my T shirt, which was sticking to me like a second skin. My long hair was plastered to my face and my teeth were busy in their own chattering.

I hugged myself,rubbing my arms to produce some warmth and walked down the road. The abandoned houses and streets were giving off an eerie feel and I felt a presence behind me. I whirled around puffing out cold air, pupils dilated, darting around, expecting someone to jump out from behind the dumpster or around a house. I started backing away keeping my gaze focused and sharp, at least as much as I could through the thick rainy curtains, blinking rapidly to clear my view.

Too busy scanning the streets, that I couldn't maintain my balance when something broke my slow retreat and I fell down squarely on my butt. Instantly my palms braced the wet uneven road to stop my fall.

For a moment I thought the pits and cracks in road made me fall but then looked closer under my legs, only to find a lone severed half frozen human arm . That's when my brain cells sparked and supplied that the road, which should've been cold, was warm and sticky under my palms. One sense was enough to make me nauseous, I did NOT need to see the stickiness to confirm my fears.

I looked back and saw more bodies lying across the road, some half sitting up against the front porches of houses and some mutilated beyond recognition. Even though I've seen it countless times, this part of my dream still shocked me to my core.

A shadow moved in my peripheral vision just then, drawing my attention making me raise on shaky legs to face it.

There, right in the middle of the road, was Eric, standing tall with a harsh expression on his face. He had my knife in his right hand and his unrelenting gaze intent on me.

A whimper from behind made me whirl around, wet hair strands whipping onto my face. A few feet from me, was my sister crouching down, trying to shield away my nephew. My eyes widened on grasping the situation, Eric's murderous gaze was not fixed on me but my family and I was right in the middle.

I squared my shoulders, ready to fight him off if need be, but his gaze never once centering on me, as if I wasn't even there.

He made the knife viciously fly towards me tearing through the air, I screamed at the top of my lungs as it whizzed right through me and lodged on my sister's back. For a moment everything seemed to still in the dead silence and then my sister dropped down like a heavy weight, her fresh blood mingling with the already spilled blood on the gravel, creeping down the road towards me.

I woke up with a jolt, trembling and gasping. Lowering my heart rate to normal, I checked on Chikki's sleeping form to make sure he was alright. My nightmares always had some faceless, nameless shadowy mutants in it, but today it felt all too real. It felt different. I knew the strength in him, the hatred in his eyes and I knew just how much he would enjoy draining a life without batting an eyelash.

I shuddered, pretending to be affected by cool morning breeze, rather than some old primal emotion and stretched up on still shaky legs. The sun was beginning to peak over the hills but the dark clouds, heavy with rain, were rolling over it in waves, obscuring it from the view.

I made my way towards the kitchenette where Carol was busy making some tea.

"Good morning!" she chirped in a voice far too cheery for my liking.

"Yeah! Good it is!" I mumbled pecking on her chubby cheek, dreading the oncoming weather change, after my nightmare.

I started fixing a fish sandwich for myself and Chikki, frying some extra mushrooms for him. I was about to turn back when Carol motioned for me to wait. She placed some boiled potatoes, fish stripes and sliced apples in a plate handing it over to me. My eyebrows shot up in a silent question.

"This is for the young man in your medbay." In response to my blank stare and open mouth she continued: "Well somebody had to keep him well nourished. I didn't see anyone stepping up so...Besides he needs extra proteins if he wants to recover."

"Unbelievable!" I shook my head and left her behind.

I set a plate beside Chikki letting the smell of breakfast wake him up. He stirred and lazily hugged me, keeping me there for a few moments, while I let my fingers run through his blond hair affectionately.

After we were done with breakfast, Chikki ran off with other kids and picking up the remaining plate with heaped up food, I reluctantly made my way to the medbay.

Thanking the heavens above that Doc was there, probably taking morning vitals of his patients, I walked further in and tossed a silent hello towards Doc, which he returned with a small smile and a nod.

Gathering my courage, I turned towards Eric's. He was lazily sprawled on the sheets, legs crossed at ankles, one hand behind his head and the other playing with three small shiny balls that seemed to hover over his palm.

I placed the food on a small stool beside his bed and quickly turned to escape his magnetic presence.

"And Good morning to you too, Ace!"

I stood still where I was, too shocked to hear my name coming from him. Suddenly his voice brought back all the fear and helplessness that I felt during my nightmare this morning. His eyes were intent on the dancing balls around his fingers. I followed his gaze and for a moment I was entranced, wondering how I would've felt it race through me if I had any power, how I would've maneuvered it.

"You'd be surprised to know what else I can do with my fingers."

I snapped out of my thoughts at his allusive remark, blushing furiously when he smirked at me.

"Eat up or I'll take it back." I nodded towards his plate with jaw clenched, trying to appear tough.

He stood up in one fluid motion, keeping his eyes sharp on me, stepped forward blocking my only exit. He tilted his head regarding me and his eyes swept leisurely from my face to toes and then back up.

"From intent on gutting me to bringing me meal? You're not starting to like me, are you?" He grinned. I looked over his shoulder to make sure Doc didn't hear the part about me trying to kill him, but he was nowhere to be seen. He must've left at some point without me noticing.

"You're not as vicious as you let others believe. You've been here for more than a week and I expected you'd be on a murdering spree by now, not indulging in some cheap flirting with every woman in here."

"First of all.. What? Do you think killing humans is all I do? I DO have other priorities,you know. Killing is just my second most favorite thing to do." He moved to pick up an apple slice. "You can imagine the first one, I assume." He whirled around grinning, bit into his slice and winked.

I was mortified beyond belief. Turning my head away to block his view of my reddening cheeks, I scoffed loudly in an attempt to drown the effect his words were having.

"Secondly not EVERY woman, just you." He lowered his voice. "And third, look at you, how even my "cheap flirting" is affecting you, you're blushing like crazy and trying to hide it." He murmured offering me a slice.

Alright, time for me to leave...or change the topic.

"Why are you still here? Shouldn't you be trying to leave this place? After all, it's not for the likes of you." I asked folding my arms on the chest, barely keeping my shaky voice under control.

He chuckled. "I like it here." Spreading his arms wide and looking around the dimly lit cave, with a tubed up person lying in one corner, he continued. "Although I do miss coffee...and a hot shower...and some scotch would be lovely." Finishing up his apple slices, he licked his fingers clean.

Alright Ace! No more noticing his hands and no more fascination with his...power. Taking a deep breath, I mentally rebuked myself.

"Well! This has been lovely. I better go now." I supplied sarcastically trying to slip past him but he angled his body just in time, making me halt mere inches from him. My pulse quickened, I'd like to believe from fear. Eyes drifting up, locked onto his in a staring contest. Killer or not, he had one of the most beautiful eyes, I'd have to give him that,...clear, expressive, coolest shade of blue.

Before my neck could cramp from staring up at him for too long, someone cleared their throat from behind, making me jump back. I flushed bright red at finding Jacob near the entrance. Quickly moving away,I excused myself, feeling like I was caught stealing a candy from a store.

I had no reason to be guilty. Yeah,I wasn't the one who made a swanky breakfast for our enemy, it was Carol, Jacob should be giving this look to Carol right now, not me.

Looking back, I saw Erik standing with thumbs hooked in his pockets and challenging Jacob with a lopsided grin. Yup, truly an asshole!

"I came to check on him." Jacob motioned towards Brian's unmoving form, still giving Erik a calculating look. " Carol was looking for you, she asked me to tell you to go down to the lake, apparently it's a laundry day...AGAIN." Knowing Jacob, he was probably just trying to drive me away from Erik, and I wasn't going to complain.

"Actually...I'll tag along too. My shirt could use some washing and I might as well take a dip." Erik piped up instantly, sniffing his shirt arms dramatically. Without waiting for a response from either one of us, he grabbed the fried fish off the plate and started forward.

" Excuse me!" I blurted out, a little too loud. But when I woke up today after my nightmare, drenched in sweat and shaking like a leaf, the last thing I wanted was this guy's presence around me. This was NOT happening!

"If I wanted to kill you, I would've done it a long time ago." He rolled his eyes, sounding bored.

"If you're looking for a place to stay son, then I can offer you safety, at least from my people." Jacob said giving me a look, knowing that I was the only one, stupid enough to try something on a mutant. "But in turn you'll have to keep your...self in check." Jacob continued hinting to his mutant powers.

This was a bad idea. A human-hating mutant among humans...equals disaster. Why would he want to stay here when he was obviously from a posh community? Why not escape the caves and give away our location to mutant exterminators? Not that we'll stay here once he leaves, we'd have to move right away. And I didn't want to move just yet, I was tired of running. This fact had me believing that this might not be such a bad idea. We might be able to change his mind regarding humans, this was our chance to make a mutant realize that we humans could accept a mutant in our community. It was our chance to take a high road.

"I could be a spy working for SFD for all you know." Erik told Jacob with a grimly.

Annnndd...I could hear all the hope shattering somewhere in my brain. So much for your optimism Ace.

Superior Force Division was a mutant military force with headquarters scattered all around the world, they were the ones supposed to find and infiltrate human camps and communities, they were responsible for eliminating the humans in the first place.

Jacob calmly sat down on the stool, leaning against the rough stonewall. " Yes! That's why we'll be keeping an eye on you and some non-metallic weapons." He told the younger mutant with slight smile and glint in the eyes. For a moment Erik appeared taken aback but managed to revert to his sullen expression.

"Ace will take you outside to draw some fresh air. We have many skilled archers posted around the caves, hidden from the view, so I suggest you behave and try not to kill anyone for now."

Jacob pulled me aside when I was gearing up to go out.

I didn't protest much when he entrusted me with this charge because I knew, keeping the mutant in sight will be the most effective way for me to ease up, when I would know that he won't be anywhere near my nephew. A part of me was screeching in my brain to avert me from taking him on this "tour".

"Ace! I trust you to keep yourself safe around him. Can you do it?" Jacob asked, his voice laced with concern. I nodded assuringly, strapping a quiver around my chest.

"I could've appointed someone else but no one here is as skilled at this as you."

"It's fine Jacob." I finished stocking up my arrows to give him a comforting hug. He pulled out a long red scarf from his jacket pocket and pushed it into my hand.

Just then Erik came out ,roughly combing his hair with his fingers and smoothing out wrinkles on his shirt.

"Turn around." Rolling my eyes, I ordered.

He cocked an eyebrow in response.

Exasperated, I lifted up my hand to show him the piece of cloth.

"Aaahh! Kinky!" Winking, he gave me a wolfish grin and turned his back to me. I stared at the height difference for a while before raising on my toes.

I somehow managed to cover his eyes and tie a secure knot behind his head, without losing my balance or breaking my poor toes. Damn he was tall!

It was close to noon when we left the caves, dark clouds rumbling in distant skies, wind significantly picked up since this morning. I stepped into the woods, tugging the guy twice my size, behind me with a thick rope around his wrists, hoping to get this over with, before it rained, and to survive being a tour guide without killing my guest slash adversary and vice versa.


	7. Chapter 7

**Erik:**

I allowed myself to be tugged by her towards…God knows where. As soon as we stepped out of the caves, despite my blindfold, I could feel the light hitting me for the first time in two weeks and was very thankful for the barrier to give my eyes time to adapt.

I greedily absorbed the brightness with a smile on my face, letting out a contented sigh. I didn't know I could miss such a minor thing before this.

For several minutes I was lost in the coolness of the wind whipping on my face not covered by the fold, the crunching of leaves and gravel beneath my boots, the voices of birds suddenly flapping away when we reached too close for their comfort and the occasional huffing of my skinny impounder. Yeah I was much too relieved to be out of that hell hole. How did they even manage to LIVE there for years? I let myself feel sorry for them but only for a moment.  
Her huffing brought me out of my reverie and I realized that we were going downhill through heavily gravelled path with sharp cuts and edges. Without sight, I had to concentrate a little more on keeping my balance.  
"You know, the kink was really not necessary." I decided to voice my irritation when I slipped on an edge third time in the last 10 seconds.

"And what? Have you kill me and then run off?" She answered equally annoyed.  
"And what makes you think I can't kill you now?" I raised my head trying to see through the sliver of uncovered area above my cheeks and only managed to see her Jeans covered thighs. "Besides didn't I promise your old man to be a good boy as long as I'm here?"  
I heard her snicker, whether it was on me referring to myself as "a good boy" or on the idea of me keeping a promise, but it made me smile.  
"I don't understand what you're trying to do here. Jacob will never accept you in." She tugged harder on the ropes to stress her point.  
I lifted my head one more time but only a little more was visible above her thighs. " I'm trying to take a good look at your ass for now." I muttered under my breath low enough.

"What?"

"I said shouldn't you be a little less uptight in your age…actually no, A LOT less uptight?" Swearing loudly, I stumbled on something but instinctively braced myself against a rough surface.  
All of a sudden, my blindfold was ripped from my head. Ace was standing facing me, near a huge tree trunk, taking rapid deep breaths and anger twisting her innocent looking face.  
"Uptight? I saw my mother face down in her blood, my sister impaled on a wall, I don't know where my father is, and the only family that's left is…" She cut off abruptly and took a deep breath swallowing her anger. "I have to live in a constant fear of meeting a similar fate for the past two years, Freakster. So, don't tell me I'm uptight when you're to blame."  
She reminded me of a kitten, hissing and growling at my feet, when she was standing half a foot down, due to the uneven terrain, which seemed to had doubled our height difference. I was tempted to ask how she escaped the terrible fate but didn't want to sound too interested.

I stepped down calmly to remove the height difference. "Thank you. For ridding me of the blindfold. Please, continue leading the way, Miss Katness."

She blinked at me for a moment and then sharply turned around tugging me along, making me wince. "It's Katniss with an "i"". I heard her mumble.  
"Do you even know how to use that thing or is it just for the show?" I asked referring to the simply made bow slung on her back.  
"Do you want me to demonstrate on you? Cuz I'm itching to do it." She answered without looking back.  
I gazed up on the darkening sky through narrowed eyes. It will be raining soon. "How far is it? Hold on, where exactly are we going?"  
"Just a few more minutes, and don't worry I too promised Jacob not to lay a hand on you." This time she turned to throw me a satisfied grin.

That startled me, she had a beautiful smile…for a human, the kind that shows the teeth and lights up her eyes. Shaking my head, I quickly recovered from my daze and considerably dropped my voice.  
"You do realize that I don't really have a problem with you…laying your hand…on me?"  
The expression and flush that coloured her, when recognition hit, was enough to make my day.

 **Ace**

We reached our destination 10 minutes later, during which I squarely kept my eyes ahead and mouth shut, even though Erik did try to grab my attention several times after his crude remark.

Carol with a few other women, was by the side of the lake, washing clothes and laying them on nearby rocks. A little further was a pile of clothes that still needed to be washed and some dirty dishes.

"I'm gonna go help them, you can go behind one those boulders to take a dip." I pointed to my right offhandedly and swiftly left his side without waiting for his answer, afraid he might ask me to undress him or even worse, offer me to join him. I rolled my eyes at the thought.

Carol was filling up a large bucket with water to bring back for kitchen use. Her hand seemed to tremble as she poured pot after pot into the bucket. I hurried over to her and whisked away the filled pot from her, mid way. "Here, let me."  
Nodding thankfully, she dragged herself up a rock and relaxed back with her plump legs hanging. I resumed her task of filling up the bottomless bucket.

"I wonder when this will end." She was looking up into the dark rumbling sky, wondering loudly. " I miss being in a comfy chair , I miss trusting a dishwasher to wash the dishes, I miss being alive without having to keep looking over my shoulder, I miss Jack ." Closing his eyes, she sighed deeply and leaned back further, with a small smile, probably imagining all of this. Jack was his husband, also killed in one of the initial raids. Carol and Jack never had kids, those two only had each other. Just like me and Chikki, I couldn't even imagine living without my nephew.

"It's just the beginning Carol. I don't think it's going to "end" anytime soon." I spoke quietly, keeping my eyes on my task.

After I was done filling up water, I moved on to the cloth pile and balancing my bow against a nearby rock , I set to work.

I was so engrossed that I did not notice the approaching footsteps, neither the hushed silence that fell over the ladies, who were a chatterbox moments ago, until Mr. Flirty Flirtson was standing right above me. And of course he was shirtless, still dripping wet, jeans so low on his hips that it was some kind of a miracle he wasn't flashing himself right then. I'd seen shirtless men countless times working in the fields, but none quite like him. He was lean but built like he could kick some serious ass. Not to mention the grace, with which he held himself, even with the wet hair plastered on his head and little drops of water traveling down his pale stomach. I gulped, with one hand still gripping the shirt I was washing and the other raised in air clutching the foamy soap.  
"Yeah I'll just stand here until you've looked to your fill. Want me to flex for you?" He said with a hint of drawl.  
Jerking back I saw him smirking down at me.  
"I was not looking. I was glaring. Isn't it a bit inappropriate of you to be sauntering through the ladies 3 quarters naked?"

"3 quarters?" He folded his arms on his chest, flexing. Show off!  
"Well, considering how low your Jeans is hung." I muttered turning back to my washing. To my surprise I heard him laugh, and I found myself smiling in spite of myself, hid behind my veil of hair. The ladies around us were now talking in hushed voices.  
A dirty white shirt was dropped beside me. Looking back up, I raised my brow.  
"I can't wear it dirty after bathing. So, wash it may be?"  
"Oh no! This is not your mutant princely palace, for you to load your work on us. You want your clothes clean? Do it yourself, Your Highness!" I shook my head laughing humorlessly.

"Fair enough, Ma'Lady."

He simply shrugged and crouched down beside me, picking up his shirt. Discreetly, he tried to mimic my actions but failed miserably. After he had flung a good amount of foam and water on both of us, I snatched the shirt out of his hand, glaring and began washing it for him.

We were coming back when the clouds finally decided to ease up their load on us. The fine drizzling was not too bad but it still made me a bit..antsy. I kept looking up, all the while praying that it'd not get any worse.

Carol with others, was leading up front while I was at the back, with Erik a few steps ahead of me. I watched the water slosh in the bucket he was carrying, thinking back at how he took it out of my hands wordlessly, when I tried to carry it back to the camp. Not wanting to carry it the whole way back myself, I let him walk kink-free. He thankfully decided to don his newly washed damp shirt, which didn't get enough time to dry off before it started raining and now it was clinging to his back, showing of every curve and toned muscle. Setting aside the drooling, I wondered why he was acting like a perfect gentleman. I knew the rest of the camp kept their distance from him, which must be fine with him.

We were still a few yards away when I heard a commotion and collective gasps before I saw what was happening ahead, in the middle of the clearing.

There were a few people stood in a semi circle eyes wide, some had their palms covering their opened mouths and all of their attention was focused on two kids rolling in the mud.

The kids shirts were torn and mud coated their backs and pants. One, who looked to be around 10, was much taller than the other and was trying to shield his face from fists, slaming into him. The other…

My whole world seemed to narrow onto him when I realized it was my nephew who's being the center of this violence. A guy from the spectators ran towards the rolling kids and wrestled Chikki off of the poor kid whose nose was now broken and bleeding. The guy kept dragging Chikki to the side but in one swift move, he kicked the guy in shin and escaped his loosened grip to once again pounce on half unconscious kid.  
Somewhere in the back of my mind, I heard myself scream and in the next moment I took off towards my nephew.  
"Chikki no…sweatheart no…"

I hugged him from behind trying to pull him back, slipping in mud but he didn't budge. I kept whispering in his ear to calm him down, not once wondering about his unusual strength.

I didn't know how it happened but it was whole, a blur for me, when Chikki twisted around in my arms and shrugged me off with so much strength that I felt like flying through the air briefly and then skidded, only to bang my head against a rock. I fought to keep my consciousness but warm wetness seeped down my clothes and blackness dotted my vision.

The last thing I saw through my failing vision, was Erik forsaking the bucket, diving behind Chikki and knocking him unconscious with a single backward hit of his elbow.

 **Erik**

I had not planned on bothering myself with the kids, I was content on staying outside the ring. But then the strangest thing happened, I felt the tiniest tug inside me, as if someone had a string attached to my insides and was trying to turn me inside out. I focused on this virtual string that seemed to be linked to the kid currently shrugging Ace off. I held my breath as I saw her fly throw the air and crack her head on a sharp edge, quickly realizing the unusualness of the situation.

The guy from before, was once again struggling to pull the kid back. Before I knew what I was doing I dashed towards the kid and before he could do any more damage to the boy, sprawled unconscious in the middle, I elbowed him on the head, knocking him over. The guy, having lost momentum splashed down sending mud flying in every direction, the thin tense string inside me was instantly broken, leaving me breathless. It was a Deja vu. It was like I was transported back in time when my powers surfaced and a guard had to knock me out.

While I looked around, a few other guys stepped forward cautiously. Understanding their reluctance, I left them alone to take the beaten up kid back inside the cave and jogged up to where Ace lay, like a wooden puppet, against the sharp edged rock.  
I checked her pulse and relief flooded me when I found one. I pulled her forward and gently felt for the back of her head with fingertips. There was a sharp laceration but not to deep.  
"How bad is it?" Drawing back the hand, now painted with blood, I saw a middle aged woman, I'd seen earlier with Ace, stooping and trying to guage her condition, with concern etched on her face.

"It's not deep." My flat answer didn't seem to satisfy her, but she kept quiet.

One arm braced behind Ace's back, I slipped the other beneath her thighs and hauled her up in one fluid motion.  
"Lead the way, will you?" I asked the lady, trying to keep the anxiety out of my voice.

I kept my steps softly balanced but little moans of pain kept on coming from the girl, all the way back.  
I was about to cross the threshold of the cave when Ace stirred in my arms. On realization, she attempted to climb down but I only tightened my hold.  
"Stay still." I grumbled, annoyed.  
I was being led into the med bay and I could feel everyone's eyes on me as I carried the girl through their candle lit stone halls. I could also bet she was beyond embarrassed, being carried bridal style. I heard a low "Oh God" from her when Jacob came into view, after which she dropped her head to hide behind her own locks, in a way, I've come to know lately, she does when she's blushing.

Smirking wide, I held her out to him but he merely pointed to a stool in a corner, all the while giving me "the look."

Settling her down, I turned to see my bed occupied by the boy, who got his ass handed to him by a kid half his size, all tubed up.

"Looks like I won't be staying here tonight. Hey where do YOU sleep?" I grinned back at her, who were busy rubbing her temples with thumbs. She rolled her eyes and winced at the pain it caused.

Jacob and Doc were being filled in about what happened.

"Where is Chikki?" Ace flew up from the stool behind me. "Did you HIT my nephew?" She accused.

I opened my mouth to answer her but she stood on her toes, coming in my face and jabbed a finger at my chest. "How dare….how dare you touch him?"

"Hey calm yourself woman!" I raised my palms. "I just saved a boy's life and your nephew from getting entangled in a mess." I spat at her barely controlling my anger.  
"Where is he? Where is…! Why is he not here?" She clutched Jacob's arm, shaking him like an insane. "Oh my God! No! did you KILL him? Is that why he's not here?" She was now shouting at me, tears running down her cheeks, a wildness and insanity in her eyes, so much so that it made my heart skip a beat.  
Jacob was quick to move and grabbed her shoulders to get her attention. "Ace! Quit! Chikki is safe. He is just sleeping in his bed. He wasn't hurt. Don't worry. He just needed some rest." Jacob was slowly whispering to her and when she nodded, he pulled her in a fatherly hug, kissing her hair.

I'd never seen Ace so jarred before, she was always composed or at least trying to keep her emotions at bay and that me wonder what relation did she have with the kid. Was he her son? Was she married? I was dying to know. She seemed young, who was the father? Where was he?

My hands seemed to shake as I speculated about the man, forehead creased and breathing picked up. Well, he sounded like a lousy ass boyfriend in my head, who knocked her up and then left. Balling my hands into fists, I drew in deep calming breaths. What I needed to do was focus on how to get back into my state area and deal with Amanda, who I affectionately liked to call "Medusa". Not worry about single mothers.

Lost in thought, I didn't notice Ace walking right up to me.

"You will not go near him, you will not touch him. If I catch you even so much as looking at him, I WILL rip you, smirk apart. Do you understand me?" Her threat in a low voice awakened something inside me, which I hadn't had in a long time...thrill.

Had she, 5 foot something, all bones and no muscle, sodden kitten just growled at me?

I smirked wider getting down in her face. "I can't wait to see you try, sweetheart."

She bristled and her grinding teeth with flushed face was enough to send a wave of placid satisfaction through me. She glanced back at Jacob, finding him busy talking to Doc, threw an obscene gesture in my face and stomped out, leaving me stunned.

I laughed throwing my head back, this was probably the first genuine laugh I had in YEARS. Hell! I didn't know when riling her up became my hobby. I was actually looking forward to my next chance, probably with her kid around.

Speaking of the kid, did I seriously felt something coming off of him earlier or was it just my imagination? He knocked a boy double his age and size unconscious, cracked a girl's skull and wrestled his way out of a full grown adult…twice. Yeah I would have to warn Ace about him as soon as possible. But he looked too young to go through...

A coughing fit brought me out of my musings. Looks like my former room mate finally decided to grace us with his response.

The guard, Brian was coughing violently and Doc was trying to help him calm down. When his fit subsided, he laid back exhausted and Doc moved to check his vitals again.

Jacob's eyes met mine over his makeshift cot and then he cleared his throat uneasily.

"How do you feel, boy?"

"Like I've been beaten to death." Brian managed to answer with eyes closed.

Jacob nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "Hey! I know it's probably not a good time for you but do you remember anything?"  
"No."  
"What's the last thing you remember?" Doc asked.

His face twisted in thought. "I …I was asked to patrol the outskirts. We…yeah I was partnered up with Hugh…we patrolled the area but found nothing." He broke his retailing to take some breaths. Jacob and Doc were intently listening. I moved sideways to lean against the nearest stone wall.  
"I was double checking the area when… when I sensed something. Blaming it on paranoia, I resumed my patrol deeper into the woods. That area of the woods looked unfamiliar to me. Even though I'd just checked it out a few minutes ago. I was about to go fetch Hugh when a glint caught my eye."  
"A glint?"

"Yes. Right at the base of a thick tree. Anyways I went to investigate. It was a device, Jacob, and a really sophisticated one too. I thought we could look into it and use it to locate other humans, you know."

He was now half sitting up in his excitement, despite the pain evident on his face.

"Brian, it could've have been dangerous, it could've been a land mine or something." Doc fidgeted in his stool.  
"I know. I just…" He laid back spent.

"Who shot you?" Jacob eyed him calmly.  
Brian's eyes shot open. "I don't know. I didn't get a chance to personally greet them."

"As I was saying I was excited about my find, so I didn't hear them until they were right behind me. I only saw their shadow and then they shot me. I was turning my head to see who it was but something struck my head and the last thing I saw were fluttering clothes. I saw a person wearing dirty old gray pants and matching gown on top."  
"Old gray gown?" All the composure left his body when Jacob heard the last part.

I reached the reason of his sudden change in demeanor. Ha! He was expecting some mutant, behind his guard being on the receiving end of a painfully obvious murder attempt.

Pursing his lips, Jacob voiced loudly something I already knew. "We have a traitor among us."


End file.
